also shortsighted, 1640s, of eyesight, "myopic, having distinct vision only when an object is near;" 1620s in the sense "lacking foresight, not considering remote consequences;" see short (adj.) + sight (n.). The noun short-sight is attested from 1820s. Related: Shortsightedly; shortsightedness.

also farsighted, 1640s, "forecasting, prescient;" 1878 in reference to a defect of the eyes (hypermetropic); see far (adv.) + sight (v.). Related: Farsightedness.

also nearsighted, "seeing distinctly at a short distance only," 1680s, from near + sight. Figurative use is by 1856. Related: Nearsightedly; nearsightedness.

"short-sighted person," 1728, from French myope "short-sighted" (16c.), from Late Latin myop-, from Greek myōps "short-sighted" (see myopia).

"short-sighted," 1800, from myopia + -ic. Figurative use from 1891. Related: Myopical (1748); myopically.

"sharp-sighted," also "of acute mental discernment," 1630s, formed as an adjective to perspicacity, from Latin perspicax "sharp-sighted, having the power of seeing through; acute," from perspicere "look through, look closely at," from per "through" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward," hence "through") + specere "look at" (from PIE root *spek- "to observe"). Related: Perspicaciously; perspicaciousness.

"short-sightedness," 1727, medical Latin, from Late Greek myōpia "near-sightedness," from myōps "near-sighted," literally "closing the eyes, blinking," on the notion of "squinting, contracting the eyes" (as near-sighted people do), from myein "to shut" (see mute (adj.)) + ōps (genitive ōpos) "eye" (from PIE root *okw- "to see"). By coincidence the name describes the problem: the parallel rays of light are brought to a focus before they reach the retina.

1834 in the psychic sense, "person supposed to possess powers of clairvoyance;" see clairvoyant (adj.). Earlier it was used in the sense "clear-sighted person" (1794). Fem. form is Clairvoyante.

1550s, "look at, view, inspect" (a sense now obsolete), from sight (n.). From c. 1600 as "get sight of, bring into one's view;" 1842 as "take aim along the sight of a firearm." Related: Sighted; sighting.

1759, "of or pertaining to Draco," the ancient Greek statesman; 1777, in reference to laws, "rigorous, extremely severe or harsh" (earlier Draconic, which is implied from 1640s). Draco is the Latinized form of Greek Drakon, name of the archon of Athens who laid down a code of laws for Athens c. 621 B.C.E. that mandated death as punishment for minor crimes. His name seems to mean literally "sharp-sighted" (see dragon).